American Federation of Government Employees, Council of Prison Locals, Local 1612 (Union) and United States, Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, Springfield, Missouri (Agency) (Authority decision, March 2, 2005)

Final FLRA decision. The Authority denies the union's exceptions to an arbitration award. Under 5 U.S.C. § 7123(a)(1), an order involving an arbitral award is generally excluded from judicial review unless it involves an unfair labor practice under 5 U.S.C. § 7116. This decision does not address an unfair labor practice.

Plain-English summary

AFGE Local 1612 challenged an arbitration award involving the federal prison medical center in Springfield, Missouri. The Authority reviewed the record and denied the union's exceptions, finding that the union had not established a ground for setting aside the award under 5 U.S.C. § 7122(a). The brief published decision does not describe the underlying grievance, the arbitrator's remedy, or the union's specific objections. Those details therefore cannot be determined from this release.

Decision snapshot

• Authority: 5 U.S.C. § 7122(a).
• Outcome: Union exceptions denied; arbitration award left in place.
• Key point: The release states no factual basis for finding the award contrary to law or the agreement.

Full text (FLRA public release)

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60 FLRA No. 130

AMERICAN FEDERATION

OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

COUNCIL OF PRISON LOCALS

LOCAL 1612

(Union)

and

UNITED STATES

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS

MEDICAL CENTER FOR FEDERAL PRISONERS

SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI

(Agency)

0-AR-3916

_____

DECISION

March 2, 2005

_____

Before the Authority: Dale Cabaniss, Chairman, and

Carol Waller Pope and Tony Armendariz, Members

This matter is before the Authority on exceptions to an award of Arbitrator Harold Gruenberg filed by the Union under § 7122(a) of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (the Statute) and part 2425 of the Authority's Regulations. The Agency filed an opposition to the Union's exceptions.

Under § 7122(a) of the Statute, an award is deficient if it is contrary to any law, rule, or regulation; or it is deficient on other grounds similar to those applied by Federal courts in private sector labor-management relations. Upon careful consideration of the entire record in this case, and Authority precedent, the Authority concludes that the award is not deficient on the grounds raised in the exceptions and set forth in § 7122(a). See PASS, District No. 1, MEBA/NMU (AFL-CIO), 48 FLRA 764, 768-69 (1993) (award not deficient as contrary to law where excepting party fails to establish that the award is in any manner contrary to the law, rule, or regulation on which the party relies); United States Dep't of Labor (OSHA), 34 FLRA 573, 575 (1990) (award not deficient as failing to draw its essence from the parties' collective bargaining agreement where excepting party fails to establish that the award cannot in any rational way be derived from the agreement; is so unfounded in reason and fact and so unconnected to the wording and purpose of the agreement as to manifest an infidelity to the obligation of the arbitrator; does not represent a plausible interpretation of the agreement; or cannot in any rational way be derived from the agreement or evidences a manifest disregard of the agreement).

Accordingly, the Union's exceptions are denied.